generalspeaking

Canada-Russian Relations

"It's directed at human rights violators from whatever country and is intended to combat cultures of criminality and impunity."
"Countries that are not engaged in those acts need not concern themselves."
Irwin Cotler, former Canadian Justice Minister

"[The bill to go to a final House of Commons vote runs] against common sense and Canadian national interests."
"[It represents a] deplorably confrontational act blatantly interfering in Russia's domestic affairs. [Moscow will meet the move] with resolve and reciprocal counter-measures."
"[By passing the Magnitsky Act, Canada will isolate itself] from one of the key world powers at a time when building alliances, diplomacy and engagement are in high demand."
Embassy of Russia, Ottawa

Nataliya Magnitskaya, mother of whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, holds his portrait in Moscow in 2009. Russia said it will retaliate against Canada if it passes legislation inspired by Magnitsky's case, allowing sanctions to be imposed on countries for human rights violations. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo)

And if those statements don't represent issues of staggering moment to the world community which are spoken of in terms of sanctimonious righteousness, none possibly exist. Russia, under Vladimir Putin, has been excessively engaged in internationally illegal acts of intervention in the affairs of sovereign countries; in some instances violently, as in Georgia and Ukraine, and in others surreptitiously through cyber-espionage interfering in the political affairs of other nations. Moscow's decision to grasp Crimea and run with it led former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to crispy warn Russian President Putin to return it to Ukraine.

Former Liberal Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler, was being a bit disingenuous in claiming that the bill he introduced into the House of Commons with a view to becoming law in Canada, was not meant to specifically target Russia, for this indeed is its singular purpose. It could sweep other rogue countries into its orbit, like the Philippines or Venezuela, but Russia is definitely its target. In the United States, the Magnitsky Law was formalized years ago, and Moscow penalized America by withdrawing Russian orphans from adoption by Americans.

Magnitsky Law is the brainchild of a hedge fund manager, Bill Browder who had employed Sergei Magnitsky in Russia to look after the interests of his company. The Russian lawyer, in pursuing his client's interests, as the largest investor from the West in Russia, came across a vast corruption scheme in his role as a tax lawyer. The scheme revealed state officials stealing $230 million representing taxes paid by Hermitage Capital Management, Mr. Browder's company. The taxes were meant to go to the state, not the bank accounts of state officials, but did reflect rampant corruption.

"Russia had no rule of law, it had rule of men. And those men were crooks", stated Mr. Browder. When Mr. Magnitsky revealed the extent of the corruption he had uncovered he was himself arrested on trumped-up charges of tax evasion, with no family contact permitted while authorities attempted to have  him retract his testimony. Mr. Magnitsky was ill and lived in prison in great pain, but was permitted no medical treatment. Refusing cooperation during a court hearing, guards in riot gear went to his prison cell and beat him to death.
An inquiry was undertaken, the result of which enabled Russian authorities to state that no wrongdoing was found, no violation of the law, and that the lawyer had died of acute heart failure. His employer refused to let the matter lie, he eventually persuaded lawmakers in the U.S., the United Kingdom and the European Union to sanction the Russian officials responsible for that corruption, prohibiting their entry within their borders and shutting down the use of their banking systems to those responsible.

Canada, under its previous Conservative-led government had enacted sanctions against Russia reflecting its invasion of eastern Ukraine and the Crimea, affecting Russian oil, financial and defence companies.The Magnitsky Bill passed in the House of Commons. Now it must go to the Senate for discussion and approval of a minor change. Once the Senate has ruled, Bill S-226 will become a legal tool for Canada to wield in its commitment to human rights and condemnation of corruption.

"Should Bill S-226 be passed by the Senate and receive royal assent, it will enable Canada to sanction, impose travel bans on and hold accountable those responsible for gross human rights violations and significant corruption."
"This will ensure that Canada's foreign policy tool box is effective and fit for purpose in today's international environment. It will also provide a valuable complement to our existing human rights and anti-corruption tools."
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland 

"Any anti-Russian actions by the Canadian authorities will not be left without an adequate response."
"We warn again that in case the pressure of the sanctions put on us increases … we will widen likewise the list of Canadian officials banned from entering Russia [the existing list includes Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister].
"To a large extent, it [the bill] simply copies the odious American 'Magnitsky Act' and is set to further undermine Russian-Canadian relations."
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova

Labels: Canada, Corruption, Human Rights, Magnitsky, Russia

posted by Pieface @ Thursday, October 05, 2017